Karnevalsbotschafter
Encyclopedia
Karnevalsbotschafter (Carnival's Ambassador) op. 270 is a waltz
composed by Johann Strauss II
in the autumn of 1862. Incidentally, it was also written during Strauss' honeymoon with his first wife Henrietta Treffz
in Venice
. It was first performed at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Vienna's Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of Friends of Music in Vienna
) at the 'Sperl' dance hall on 11 November 1862 and also at a soirée there on 22 November. The title may be alluded to Strauss himself, as a 'carnival ambassador' to Venice having accomplished the year's Fasching festivity commitments in Vienna
. Unsurprisingly for him in Venice, although his wife had intended the honeymoon as a complete rest for him, he found himself duly inspired to pen this lovely waltz in a period of great personal happiness.
The waltz is unique in that its Introduction is more like a fanfare rather than serving as a prelude for later melodies to come in the further five two-part waltz sections like many of Strauss' waltzes dating around that time and for many waltz compositions till the end of his life. The short fanfare-like Introduction probably harks back at Johann Strauss I
's style of writing waltzes with only a rudimentary Introduction.
Trumpets announce the first bars, before a loud chord interrupts; signalling the waltz proper. Pizzicato
strings support the first waltz theme although other instruments carry the main melody. Waltz 1B is punctuated by loud chords and is loud for the entire passage. Waltz 2A has triangle
s as accompaniment whereas waltz 2B is gentle and more romantic-sounding. Waltz 3A starts with a brief intrada and is decorated with trill
s whereas waltz 3B's principal melody is carried by cello
s and double bass
es. Waltz 4A is livelier than the previous waltz part and waltz 4B is dominated by the flute
. Waltz 5B has a timpani
beat and waltz 5B reconciles the earlier cheerful sections. A brief coda
is introduced and waltz 1B is repeated. Without halting nor slowing down for a moment, the exuberant first waltz theme makes an anticipated re-entry, before rising chords heralds its exciting close, complete with a snare-drumroll and brass flourish.
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
composed by Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
in the autumn of 1862. Incidentally, it was also written during Strauss' honeymoon with his first wife Henrietta Treffz
Henrietta Treffz
Henrietta "Jetty" Treffz was best known as the first wife of Johann Strauss II and a well-known mezzo-soprano appearing in England in 1849 to great acclaim.-Biography:...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. It was first performed at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Vienna's Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of Friends of Music in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
) at the 'Sperl' dance hall on 11 November 1862 and also at a soirée there on 22 November. The title may be alluded to Strauss himself, as a 'carnival ambassador' to Venice having accomplished the year's Fasching festivity commitments in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Unsurprisingly for him in Venice, although his wife had intended the honeymoon as a complete rest for him, he found himself duly inspired to pen this lovely waltz in a period of great personal happiness.
The waltz is unique in that its Introduction is more like a fanfare rather than serving as a prelude for later melodies to come in the further five two-part waltz sections like many of Strauss' waltzes dating around that time and for many waltz compositions till the end of his life. The short fanfare-like Introduction probably harks back at Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty...
's style of writing waltzes with only a rudimentary Introduction.
Trumpets announce the first bars, before a loud chord interrupts; signalling the waltz proper. Pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
strings support the first waltz theme although other instruments carry the main melody. Waltz 1B is punctuated by loud chords and is loud for the entire passage. Waltz 2A has triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
s as accompaniment whereas waltz 2B is gentle and more romantic-sounding. Waltz 3A starts with a brief intrada and is decorated with trill
Trill (music)
The trill is a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or tone apart, which can be identified with the context of the trill....
s whereas waltz 3B's principal melody is carried by cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
s and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
es. Waltz 4A is livelier than the previous waltz part and waltz 4B is dominated by the flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. Waltz 5B has a timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
beat and waltz 5B reconciles the earlier cheerful sections. A brief coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
is introduced and waltz 1B is repeated. Without halting nor slowing down for a moment, the exuberant first waltz theme makes an anticipated re-entry, before rising chords heralds its exciting close, complete with a snare-drumroll and brass flourish.